diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c9378ce..38e44bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Default: `false`
 
 #### install
 
-Installs packages if they don't match. With the `onlySpecified` option enabled prune excessive packages as well.
+Installs packages if they don't match. With the `onlySpecified` option enabled it installs if excessive packages are present as well.
 
 Type: `boolean`
 
diff --git a/lib/check-dependencies.js b/lib/check-dependencies.js
index 39822d1..e1f840b 100644
--- a/lib/check-dependencies.js
+++ b/lib/check-dependencies.js
@@ -49,10 +49,9 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
 
     let packageJson, pkgManagerPath;
 
-    let installPrunePromise = Promise.resolve();
+    let installPromise = Promise.resolve();
     let success = true;
     let installNeeded = false;
-    let pruneNeeded = false;
 
     const log = message => {
         output.log.push(message);
@@ -259,7 +258,7 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
                     // isn't one, just skip it.
                     if (depSubDirName && !fullDepsMappings[depName]) {
                         success = false;
-                        pruneNeeded = true;
+                        installNeeded = true;
                         error(
                             `Package ${depName} installed, though it shouldn't be`,
                         );
@@ -270,7 +269,7 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
                 // Regular packages
                 if (!fullDepsMappings[depName]) {
                     success = false;
-                    pruneNeeded = true;
+                    installNeeded = true;
                     error(
                         `Package ${depName} installed, though it shouldn't be`,
                     );
@@ -285,26 +284,18 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
     output.depsWereOk = false;
 
     if (!options.install) {
-        if (options.onlySpecified) {
-            error(
-                `Invoke ${pico.green(
-                    `${options.packageManager} prune`,
-                )} and ${pico.green(
-                    `${options.packageManager} install`,
-                )} to install missing packages and remove excessive ones`,
-            );
-        } else {
-            error(
-                `Invoke ${pico.green(
-                    `${options.packageManager} install`,
-                )} to install missing packages`,
-            );
-        }
+        error(
+            `Invoke ${pico.green(
+                `${options.packageManager} install`,
+            )} to install missing packages${
+                options.onlySpecified ? ' and remove excessive ones' : ''
+            }`,
+        );
         return finish();
     }
 
-    const installOrPrune = mode => {
-        log(`Invoking ${pico.green(`${options.packageManager} ${mode}`)}...`);
+    const install = () => {
+        log(`Invoking ${pico.green(`${options.packageManager} install`)}...`);
 
         // If we're using a direct path, on Windows we need to invoke it via `node path`, not
         // `cmd /c path`. In UNIX systems we can execute the command directly so no need to wrap.
@@ -312,7 +303,7 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
         const method = syncOrAsync === 'sync' ? spawnSync : spawn;
 
         if (spawnShellSupported) {
-            spawnReturn = method(`${options.packageManager} ${mode}`, {
+            spawnReturn = method(`${options.packageManager} install`, {
                 cwd: options.packageDir,
                 stdio: 'inherit',
                 shell: true,
@@ -320,17 +311,16 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
         } else if (win32) {
             spawnReturn = method(
                 pkgManagerPath ? 'node' : 'cmd',
-                (pkgManagerPath
-                    ? [pkgManagerPath]
-                    : ['/c', options.packageManager]
-                ).concat(mode),
+                pkgManagerPath
+                    ? [pkgManagerPath, 'install']
+                    : ['/c', options.packageManager, 'install'],
                 {
                     cwd: options.packageDir,
                     stdio: 'inherit',
                 },
             );
         } else {
-            spawnReturn = method(options.packageManager, [mode], {
+            spawnReturn = method(options.packageManager, ['install'], {
                 cwd: options.packageDir,
                 stdio: 'inherit',
             });
@@ -340,7 +330,7 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
             if (spawnReturn.status !== 0) {
                 msg = `${
                     options.packageManager
-                } ${mode} failed with code: ${pico.red(spawnReturn.status)}`;
+                } install failed with code: ${pico.red(spawnReturn.status)}`;
                 throw new Error(msg);
             }
             return null;
@@ -353,22 +343,14 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
                 }
                 msg = `${
                     options.packageManager
-                } ${mode} failed with code: ${pico.red(code)}`;
+                } install failed with code: ${pico.red(code)}`;
                 error(msg);
                 reject(msg);
             });
         });
     };
 
-    const installMissing = () => installOrPrune('install');
-    const pruneExcessive = () => installOrPrune('prune');
-
-    // In some circumstances, e.g. if npm discovers a package is broken, npm may decide to remove
-    // a package when pruning even if versions in package.json match. It's safer to always install
-    // before prunning then so that the end state is always correct.
-    if (pruneNeeded) {
-        installNeeded = true;
-    }
+    const installMissing = () => install();
 
     if (syncOrAsync === 'sync') {
         try {
@@ -376,10 +358,6 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
                 installMissing();
             }
 
-            if (pruneNeeded) {
-                pruneExcessive();
-            }
-
             success = true;
         } catch (error) {
             success = false;
@@ -389,14 +367,10 @@ const checkDependenciesHelper = (syncOrAsync, config, callback) => {
 
     // Async scenario
     if (installNeeded) {
-        installPrunePromise = installPrunePromise.then(installMissing);
-    }
-
-    if (pruneNeeded) {
-        installPrunePromise = installPrunePromise.then(pruneExcessive);
+        installPromise = installPromise.then(installMissing);
     }
 
-    return installPrunePromise
+    return installPromise
         .then(() => {
             success = true;
             return finish();
diff --git a/test/spec.js b/test/spec.js
index f4fd718..af2fbfe 100644
--- a/test/spec.js
+++ b/test/spec.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ describe('checkDependencies', () => {
         const checkDeps = getCheckDependencies();
 
         const installMessage = `Invoke ${packageManager} install to install missing packages`;
-        const pruneAndInstallMessage = `Invoke ${packageManager} prune and ${packageManager} install to install missing packages and remove excessive ones`;
+        const installMessageWithOnlySpecified = `Invoke ${packageManager} install to install missing packages and remove excessive ones`;
 
         const errorsForNotOk = [
             'a: installed: 1.2.4, expected: 1.2.3',
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ describe('checkDependencies', () => {
                 output => {
                     assert.deepEqual(output.error, [
                         "Package c installed, though it shouldn't be",
-                        pruneAndInstallMessage,
+                        installMessageWithOnlySpecified,
                     ]);
                     assert.strictEqual(output.status, 1);
                     done();
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ describe('checkDependencies', () => {
         describe('the --scope-list and --optional-scope-list options', () => {
             const errorMessage = [
                 "Package c installed, though it shouldn't be\n",
-                'Invoke npm prune and npm install to install missing packages ',
+                'Invoke npm install to install missing packages ',
                 'and remove excessive ones\n',
             ].join('');